Children’s birthdays, Christmas, or any other holiday where they received cash for the occasion, is a very nice day for older children if they know a bit about the value of money. For little children, it’s just funny to look at their faces when they open an envelope and out comes a $20 dollar bill or a check. They push it aside and continue with the box that actually has a toy of some sort.

So, what are you doing with that $20 dollar bill or check? They got it for-let’s say their birthday— but what are you actually doing with it?

You know, and they know they actually don’t need more gifts. They probably have their rooms full of all sorts of toys that haven’t been touched in months, and they probably have more video games than GameStop.

Then , what do you do with their money? Does the money then goes into your checking or savings account? Are you keeping track of how much money you have put into your personal account over the years? Are you planning on reimbursing them later on? With interest?

It is so easy, isn’t it, to forget that the money is actually theirs? After the party and the cleaning, the stress or anxiety level drops and we forget little things that need to be taken care right away. A lot of people forget.

When our daughters were babies and were receiving a $20 dollar bill from grandpa and grandma, we did not open a savings account for them right away. We never slept a whole night for four months with our first daughter, can you imagine us thinking about investing their gift money then?

We opened a savings account for our daughters a while back with the money they received at Christmas and birthdays from family members – Yes, we did reimbursed them— The interest those savings accounts were earning was pitiful. We took the cash out and opened an account at an online investment company. We don’t regret it. We stuck with safe stock options, haven’t sold them, haven’t traded them — it’s $6.95 per trade — and we do not panic when their price goes down. We are in for the long run with their investment, and hopefully you will start investing their birthday money too. When they’re 18 and want to have control of their money, then it’s your choice if you want to be an advisor or let them have full control of their investment.

Little by little, those gifts can amount to something. If you have a financial advisor, ask for advice. This is only for you to start thinking about taking small steps with money that they probably don’t need right now. Think small first, when they’re older and see what you have done with their money they’ll thank you.

Still trying to get healthy for the New Year? Today we focus on the second largest organ in your body – the liver. Considering that your liver has to work overtime filtering chemicals from the blood, you shouldn’t take this particular organ for granted. Like everything else in your body, the key to ensuring that your liver stays healthy is eating healthy and not indulging in substance abuse. As a part of the whole digestive process, everything that you consume, whether it may be food, drink or medicine, goes through your liver. This means that when you put too much harmful stuff into your system, your liver will have to filter those through and prevent those from coming into your bloodstream. Do note that while the food listed below will help in ensuring that this vital organ remains healthy, everything will be useless if you make your liver work overtime when you consume harmful substances for your body. With that in mind, let’s begin our list of food for a healthier liver.

Turmeric. The Global Healing Center has named turmeric as the “liver’s favorite spice”. Turmeric helps the body process fats and will encourage bile production. Adding turmeric into your diet will help your liver detoxify by getting rid of carcinogens.

Green leafy veggies. Remember when your mom would force you to eat your green veggies and you grudgingly obey? Well, as it turns out, that simple act done regularly will help you avoid issues with your liver later on in life. It’s even better if you consume organic products. Why so? Well, as previously mentioned, you liver filters everything you put in your mouth, including some possible leftover pesticides that may have been left there from non-organic veggies. Leafy vegetables have a neutralizing ability, which will help your liver when it encounters metals, chemicals and pesticides that you have consumed through food.

Cruciferous vegetables. You can almost never go wrong with veggies. Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower belong to this category. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in compounds called glucosinolate, which helps the liver get rid of toxins you have ingested into your system.

Grapefruit. This is not the first time that eating vitamin C rich food has proven to help your body. Grapefruit contains vitamin C and glutathione, which has been found to be helpful in aiding the liver do its job of filtering harmful toxins in the body.

Walnuts. Fond of munching on these? Like grapefruit, walnuts are rich in glutathione, which as mentioned above, will help your liver do its job. Plus, walnuts also contain Omega-3 fatty acids, so consuming it will not only ensure your liver’s health, but also that of your heart.

With the many unhealthy food and substances we tend to consume daily with our diet, you can imagine how much a football-size organ has to do in order to filter those from our bloodstream. Remember, eating food such as the ones mentioned above in a regular basis is only a part of the whole process in ensuring that your liver remains healthy. With proper diet and avoidance of harmful substances as much as we can, there is no reason why we cannot save ourselves the trouble of dealing with liver disease in the future.

Many people do not know about probate until a person has died. When a person dies, their will and other legal assets have to go through the probate process. This is often done by a probate lawyer because the process can become very complicated. When family members are involved it can create tension so having a neutral third party can help the process along.

Akron families can protect themselves with planning and finding an Akron probate lawyer.

When a person dies they leave behind debts, tax bills, property, and other assets. All of this is called a person’s estate. When a person dies with a will in place, by law the estate needs to be administered. This is done by a person called an executor. The executor will read the will and notify the beneficiaries that the process has begun.

Many people do not understand that even if they die with a paid off home and cars that their debts still need to be resolved. This is why most probate lawyers ask people to give a specific percentage of their estate’s value to each beneficiary. This way it does not become too confusing to administer after the debts are paid off.

This process can be lengthy because creditors need to be notified of the deceased person’s death. Some creditors will even ask for a death certificate as proof that the person has in fact passed away. If the person has a life insurance policy then that needs to be administered either by the insurance company itself or the executor. Some people decide to leave their life insurance proceeds to one person or to their estate so that it is divided equally among the beneficiaries.

The first thing that needs to be done is to submit the will to the court in the state where the will was filed. A petition will need to be filed with the court that states the deceased person’s full name, if there is a will, and when the death occurred. Then, the court will review the information, appoint the executor of the estate, and see if a bond needs to be given to the estate. After this process is completed, people who are related to the deceased, those individuals named in the will, and creditors will be notified by mail that the court has received the will and that the estate is now being dealt with.

After this, the probate process begins; it can take more than a year to get a will through this process. It depends on how well the parties that are involved deal with each other. If someone challenges the will then it can take years to close the probate process. When dealing with the probate process it is a good idea to consult a probate lawyer. They can help guide people through the process to make it easier and much less stressful.

Winter is truly here. The snow outside your home is a great testament to the fact that winter has finally arrived, and for many northeast Ohio families shoveling season is here. For many people, shoveling snow is not recommended. Shoveling snow in great quantities is a strenuous exercise that many people should not do. If you don’t exercise regularly and are out of shape, shoveling your driveway is not a smart thing to do. If you have any other health problems, but specially heart problems, shoveling snow is not recommended.

Whether you have someone to do the chore for you, or if you are thinking about hiring a snow removal service, please keep in mind that there are many so called companies that appear every winter, but do not have the long story to back them up. There are many other snow removal, lawn care, tree trimming , and concrete leveling companies in the Akron area that finding one that meets your requirements should not be a problem. If you have a neighbor, family member or friend that can recommend one company they like, your job can be very easy indeed. Here are some companies that have an A+ BBB rating, and they are companies with a long history in their communities. We do not endorsed them, nor vouch for their work. We are only offering this list as a starting point.

All Seasons Lawn care BBB rating: A+

7 years in business

315 Hoover Ave

Akron, OH 44312-1416

Naragon Companies BBB Rating: A+

32 years in business

2197 Wadsworth Rd

Norton, OH 44203-5328

Summit Landscape BBB Rating: A+

31 years in business

3621 Summit Rd

Barberton, OH 44203-5375

Affordable Lawn Care and Outdoor Services BBB Rating: A+

5 years in business

2146 Snyder Rd

Butler, OH 44822-9624

B&B Landscaping BBB Rating: A+

12 years in business

56 Ambrose Dr

Hudson, OH 44236-4723

FYI: We have checked Snow removal companies on Google that show a 4 or 5 star rating-which is very good— but when we checked them with the BBB, their rating was a D+. When hiring a company for any job you want them to do, check their reviews and ask them for testimonials of customers that are not family members 🙂

A Google search for computer programming classes for children will give you a very good starting point if you are interested in signing up your little Einstein for computer programming classes, Lego robotics, video game design, or other programs that they are interested in learning.

Many of the companies advertising these programs offer age appropriate programs tailored to your child’s age and in some instances your child’s skills. So, whether your child is a novice or an expert in computer programming and wants to learn more, some of these programs may be the solution for you. Here are two companies that offer summer camps, winter camps and after-class courses for your children. They are not free, and if your child wants to try them, make sure you check reviews and testimonials from other parents to see if that is what you’re looking for.

Do you want your child to try coding for free before you commit to other paid programs? Then, this is the place you need to be. Check these sites, and encourage your child to try some of them before deciding which summer camp they will be attending next year.

Khan Academy-Whether you are learning history, algebra,art or any other school subject, this is the place for you. A free, amazing site that will make you learn in a fun, easy to understand format. Do you want to learn computer programming? Then Khan Academy is the place to start.

Code.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to expand access to computer science, and increase minority and women participation in this science. Go visit and choose a subject for your child that they are interested in learning. Code.org gives you the option of filtering you choice by grade level, topic, experience level, and technology you will be using. This is a site you really need to go and visit, and let your child explore and learn.

Regardless of what place you choose for your child to explore coding, you cannot go wrong. Children are inherently curious and love a challenge, and many of these places start by teaching them the logic behind the coding. Let them have fun while learning.

Everyone loves a good trampoline. It just so happens it is all the rage now in the Akron area with several locations to choose from.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children and adolescents do 60 minutes of exercise every day. If you think this is too much, do not worry, many children at school are required to have two periods of gym class a week, plus the breaks they usually have during their elementary school years are used to run around the school yard.

If your children are involved in sports either at school or through programs offered by the city, they are getting more than enough exercise. But, if on the other hand, your child seems to be living a more sedentary life and you want to motivate him to start exercising, what a better place than to take him to have fun at these places while exercising at the same time? Some of these places offer aerobic classes in addition to the play time. Check them out.

Are you a full time working parent working the 40 hour week? Would you like more time with your kids and a more flexible schedule? Have you ever thought about a work from home company? It is possible as more and more moms are turning to working from home. It might be time for you to find that work from home business income opportunity that will fit you.

All you have to do is type in work at home and a whole list of opportunities pops up on the screen. You have a choice in almost any field of your choice. There are many companies and businesses out there that are looking for people who want to own their own work from home company. There is much to be researched before jumping into the first one that grabs your attention.

You need to first start out by getting information on each and every company that you are interested in. If possible start a business in something that you find interesting. You will have more success if you enjoy what you are doing. Wanting to start your own? Write some ideas out and just as you prepared for your baby, you need to prepare for your business. Get some money saved or at least get used to dining in more often than out. It takes money to make money.

Being a work at home parent can be very rewarding. You can have the freedom to work when you want and still be with your children. Many moms and even fathers are choosing to stay at home and work from home as the economy is tight. There are many different things you should look into before starting and be sure to do your research thoroughly. As with many businesses, you will have to invest some money but as far as how much, that all depends on what type you decided to do. They can all range from less than $100 to several hundred to start.

One option if you enjoy it is writing. Maybe even publishing your own local magazine. Many companies need writers to help with websites and social media.

Make sure you stay organized, find some good marketing and advertising that will get your name out there, and be sure you have a home office set up so that you can concentrate on the task at hand. Lastly, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your business will take some time to become established and to get going. It will all be worth it in the end.

What you do to clean up your lawn in the fall depends on a few factors.

Do you have a large or small yard?

Do you have many or a few trees?

Do you have kids that like to help?

Does your Akron area home provide curb side leaf pickup?

There are a variety of techniques to clean the yard. In Kent, where I like, we have trees that keep their leaves until Spring in some cases. That means we are picking up leaves throughout the Fall, Winter (if warmer) and Spring. Because of this I like to pick them up in batches and not try to do the entire lawn at once.

30 Years ago you saw people raking and bagging the leaves. Now the manual way to get it done is to rake leaves onto a tarp and drag the tarp to the front of the house and dump them along the curb and they will get cleaned up by your city in many cases.

Other options include leaf blowers. Electric leaf blowers are inexpensive, but will only work well for modest amounts of leaves that are dry. A gas leaf blower will be able to handle more leaves and damp leaves much better. Make sure you wear ear plugs to protect your hearing.

Another option is simply to mow the leaves if they are few and scattered. Mulching them into the yard with your lawnmower set low is good if there are not too many.

Lastly, hire a company to come and clean your yard. If you are older or too busy, having a landscape company come and use blowers to clean your yard well will save you the hassle and difficulty.

Remember, just like shoveling snow, raking leaves is not an activity your body is most likely used to and it can be dangerous if you push too hard or try to do too much. You will likely be sore for days and you could hurt your back or suffer other injuries, so make a smart choice to remove your leaves and cleaning your yard.

During a school flu outbreak, it is very likely your child will come home sick and will get the other members of your home sick as well. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday_preventive.pdf offers some guidelines to help you deal with a flu outbreak at school or at work, and here are 7 concise easy steps to follow if you are home with a sick child or spouse.

Wash your hands and your children’s hands with soap and water every time you enter your home. Keeping germs away from the outside world is a good tip for anyone dealing with small and school age children.

Change linens and bathroom towels daily when you are sick. Contaminating each other by using the same towels or sharing a pillow will ensure that everyone gets sick, and stay sick for a longer period of time.

Disinfecting kitchen and bathroom counters thorough out the day will ensure that you’ll encounter less germs going forward.

Believe it or not, feeding your children chicken noodle soup will get them through their illness a bit faster

Covering their mouths on their sleeves instead of their hands should decrease the number of germs they spread around the home.

Cleaning door knobs around the home will greatly decrease the germs that get passed around.

A diet full of fruits and vegetables can do a lot of good to your child. The old saying of “An apple a day will keep the doctor away” hasn’t survived this long for no reason.

Whether you are in Akron or anywhere, this is great advice.

For more about flu outbreaks and what to do about them, check the CDC for more information.

The educational system in the United states has for many years now shifted resources to teach and test children in common core areas like reading,writing and math, while leaving art and music education behind. And while many people do not appreciated the impact music and art education have in a child, these teachings constitute some of the most important building blocks in their development. From motor skills, decision making, and language development to visual learning, and cultural awareness, art and music education provide the child with the tools necessary to succeed in life. That said, this is a list of art instructions facilities in and around Akron that can be of interest to you and your family.

The Canton Museum of Art offers classes weekdays and weekends throughout the day and evening to fit your busy schedule. They offer classes geared to all ages, and all budgets. They offer classes in drawing, jewelry,painting and textiles. If you are planning ahead and want to enroll your child in a summer art camp, then the Canton Museum of Art is a very good choice for you.

A beautiful place where memberships can be tailored to the individual or families, and walk-Ins are welcome. A place where five days a week offers you a 2-3 hours of painting, clay, wood working, or stamping experience with a local artist. Do you have questions or want to visit their site to learn more? Then follow the link above.

The Cuyahoga Valley Art Center is a wonderful place for adults to learn a variety of art expressions. From acrylic, mixed media, collage journaling, drawing, ceramics and painting, the center truly offers a wide range of art instruction. They seem to geared more to the adult population, although they do say they can accept responsible 12 year olds, and do have classes for 13-18 years old. But, if you are looking for a younger child art instruction class, this may not be the place for you.

All Fired Up is creative studio located in the Akron/Montrose/Fairlawn area.They have called this area their home for the last 15 years, and they offer classes for all ages and all skills levels. When considering classes for your young ones, this is a bit of information you appreciate when researching art classes and studios in the area.They offer painting, pottery, glass fusing and canvas painting classes for you and your children to explore.

Art online? You bet! If you don’t have the time to take your child to an art class outside the home? No problem. Art in Action provides an online curriculum with a nine level program, and age appropriate lessons for your child. From Kindergartner to 8th. Grade, this place is sure to provide some alternatives for you and your child.

We sincerely hope you have found the art place you’ve looking for, and to email us if you would like to be included.